1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to curing substrate coatings using ultraviolet radiation and, more particularly, to mobile devices which are uniquely adapted to cure substrate coatings in areas which are inaccessible, such as floor corners, walls, overhangs, edges and ceilings.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,850 to Thomas J. Gaven, inventor herein, describes a method for curing ultraviolet light-curable coatings, inks or adhesives on heat sensitive substrates, wherein the substrates are coated and then passed under ultraviolet light. It includes reducing the temperatures of the substrates while being passed under the ultraviolet light by providing a shield at a location between the ultraviolet light and the substrates. The shield is substantially infrared light reflective and absorptive to prevent infrared light from reaching the substrates and is also substantially ultraviolet light permeable to permit ultraviolet light to reach the substrates. An ultraviolet light curing device which utilizes the aforesaid shield is also described for curing ultraviolet light curable coatings, printings and adhesives on heat sensitive substrates.
Ultraviolet curable substrate coatings are also particularly well suited for use upon floors since they have the desirable characteristics of abrasion resistance, water and chemical resistance, high gloss and so on, while likewise providing a durable coating that will require little care and upkeep.
Conventional ultraviolet curing sources are limited to linear ultraviolet vapor lamps which put out a straight line of light which can be moved across a surface to be cured via a manual or motorized carriage. Surface coatings, in turn, are commonly applied by any conventional coating means, typically about 0.5 to 5 mils thick, over a large surface area. The applicable coatings will not dry until exposed to high intensity ultraviolet radiation. A conventional linear ultraviolet lamp is typically mounted on the front of a carriage and will instantly cure the coating as the carriage is moved over the coating. Conventional ultraviolet curing devices, however, lack sufficient capabilities to cure inaccessible areas such as floor corners, overhangs, walls, ceilings, edges and other like difficult to reach places due to the limited effect of linear ultraviolet vapor lamps which put out a straight line of light. The difficulty in curing the corners of floors, for example, is that conventional linear lamps and the electrode fittings and connections therefore permit diminutive ultraviolet light availability at the edge of the lamp housing. Thus, the portion of the area cured by the light emissions is significantly restricted by the limitations of conventional ultraviolet curing sources.
The present invention solves such limitations by enabling the curing of difficult to reach substrate coated areas using ultraviolet radiation which emanates from a curved or generally bent ultraviolet vapor lamp source. The device taught herein is particularly well adapted to cure any expanse of an area with the unique ability to cure even extraordinarily inaccessible areas.
While it is possible to manually tilt conventional curing devices so as to cure portions of edges or to cure under an overlay, it is nevertheless very difficult to adequately cure entire expanses as well as curing in tight corners. The present invention provides a lamp source and curing equipment configuration which overcomes these obstacles and which yields maximum ultraviolet energy while at the same time minimizing power input. By using a curved lamp, the ultraviolet energy can be easily directed under an overhang and along an edge and into a corner and otherwise. Thus, one object of the present invention is to establish a unique mobile, power efficient ultraviolet radiation substrate curing device that will cure large areas quickly, and will also be capable of curing substrate coatings in floor corners, walls, ceilings and along edges including overhangs. It is another object of the present invention to achieve such curing functions with exceptional power efficiently so, for example, in a given cured area less than ten inches wide a 110 volt 15 amp circuit can be utilized.
Notwithstanding any existing prior art, there are no teachings or suggestions that would render the present invention anticipated or obvious.